Olive sizer



F. STEBLER OLIVE SIZER July 11i.a 1944.

2 Sheets-'Sheet l Filed Nov. 16, 1942 `Illl F. STEBLER OLIVE SIZER July 18, 1944.

Filed NOV. 16, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ...Afm

Patented July 18, 1944 lassrafil SIZER Fred l. Stebler, Riverside, Calfi, .assigner .to .-Food Machineryllorporation; Sanf Jose, ,.Calif., a corporation of Delaware .Application November-16, 1942, SerialfNo. '465,731 ,10 Claims. (C1. 20s-:106)

This invention'relates Ytoethe arts .of feeding and sizing fruit and'is particularly useful when applied to ovaloid or nonspherical objectssuch as olives, llemons, apples, tomatoes, and Pthe llike.

A type of fruit sizer which hasibeenfoun'd to have:many advantages is /thetransverse sizer. Thisl mayibe described in generalfas'l having members mounted transversely :on an endless .conveyorto vform an endless series `oftransversesizing.valleys,1.the'vvidths o'f which.' are progressively increased Aas they travel throughv a Ysizing zone, the fruit carried in the valleys idropping through the' openings -in the bottom fof 'zthese *valleys iin yaccordance rWith .the diameter :of 'the 'tfruit lpresentedto the walls of the-valley.

r.Cne difliculty ha'd 'with `transversefsizers as heretofore employed, :has resulted `from'thel-lack of vany means to :prevent .their -being :overcrowded. :Fluctuations -fin the v.volume of fruit being handled'in a string of equipment in a packing `house Vthus frequently interfered `With Vthe accuracy lof segregation accomplished @by the sizer.

It-isanobject of the present invention to provide -a transverse fruit sizer which cannot 'fbe over-crowded, and the sizing accuracy "of "which is ktherefore.relatively uniform.

It is another object to provide such a fruit sizerwhichenotonly cannot be over-crowdedl but iscapable -of operating continuously at 'maximum capacity as-long `as fruit is availablertobe fed thereto at such at rate.

:In -sizing ovaloid objects, such as olives or lemons, the common practiceis to size theseby their-minimum diameters. Though transverse sizersare well equipped for handling'thisclass of objects, Vit-has notheretofore'been foundgpossible :tofsecure the desired degree lof accuracy While operating .the sizer at maximumcapacity, that is -witheach transverse .Valley containingfa line of fruit extending Yfrom end='to .end-ofthe valley.

Another object vof the linvention is to provide a transverse ysizer -which will .efficiently y.size ovaloid objects fwhile yoperatingat its 'maximum capacity,..as aforesaid. i

In ,the vsizer of myinventionl combine in the members forming the transverse valleys thereof thelfrunctions .of discardingthe objects v fed thereto in excess of .that .quantity which comprises the maximum capacity of the `sizer, ,as aforesaid, the 'function Vof `.positioning V.each of .the-.objectsso, retained-.in Yproper position` onsaidmembersto be sized in accordance Vwith its `minimum diameter, and' the function,A performed Whileesaid l fruit iis vso positioned, of sizing said fruit. VThus the same members 4on ywhich any piece of fruit is .positioned properly 'for sizing,r operate thereafter to perform the-sizing function Without the .position vof the fruithaving been disturbed between A thektimeit is so positioned andthe time it is sized.

'Thez'means Ain the 'sizer of my invention by Whi'c'hifruitis thus received, the excess discarded, and the balance properly positioned 'for sizing, isfelective asa fruit'.l feederian'd' is adapted to be used; forf'feeding fruit inpreciseA quantities V( and uniformly positioned if that 'is"'desired) 'to any kind of devicevvhch vrequires fruit lto 'be "fed thereto.

AItiisaccordingly )another object of 'my invention to provide a fruit feeder'by which 'fruit can be fed in precise quantities fat a uniform rate.

A still further object of my invention is to provide'-afruitfeeder adaptedfor receivingffruit inbulkrom a hopper and 'delivering said fruit therefrom at al relatively uniform'rate.

The manner "of accomplishing the foregoing objects, aaswell 'as further objects and advan- .tages,"will'ibe"made manifest' in the "following description "Italien iin .con'nection with vthe accompanying drawings, in`which:

' Fig. lisa diagrammatic, longitudinal,- sectional viewfofiapreferrecl .fe'mbo'diment of the invention.

`Fig. 21r is: an enlarged, 1 detailed operational view of a portion of Fig..1,'llustratingthebulk feeding ofolives toftheinvention.

Fig. .r3 is'v an enlargedgfragmentary, cross sectional viewftakenon the line3-3of Fig. '1. i

xlig.` .4"is1a three-.quarters perspective' viewof a section Iof an `upwardly Vinclined "portion of 'the conveyor-of the invention. f

Referring specifically to `the drawings, the sizer -IU therein includes a frame :Il onWhich is -mountedmn endless conveyor l2 :including endless; chains t3, "which are trained about sprockets I4 `and l 5 .-andsprockets i6 and l1 mounted rrespectivel-y-on'shafts 18. 19,120 and V'21| which are .journalled in suitable bearings provided on ythe frame xH. .5I-'he #conveyor :I2 V:is i adapted to f be driven :by ya gearedmotor, the pinion 2610i whichisonnectedby achain :'21 `to `asprocket 28. diagrammatically shownin Fig. 11 as mounted espaces between -the Erollers l30 "to fprovide Isizing A friction bands 42 provided on spaced ends of4 The idle rollers 4| in turn rest on rollers 3|. tracks 45 which are provided upon the sizer frame The upper course of the conveyor l2 includes an inclined section 5D and horizontal sizing section 5|. In the inclined section 5U the tracks 45 Also pivotally mounted between the lowerv wardly out from under the hopper 61. Any olives 12 which are thus located in one of the valleys 10, being unable to rest by gravity therein, naturally gravitate immediately downwardly into the valley 1| therebeneath. If that valley 1| is already lled with olives, the olive 12 will displace one of the olives in this valley, such as theoliver 13 shown in Fig. 2. .This will cause olive 13 to be ejected from the valley 1| and to gravitate rearwardly over the roller 30 forming rthe bottom wall of this valley. Fig. 2 also shows sizing section the tracks 45 comprise lengths. each of which is disposed further away from the path' of travel of the conveyor I2 than those preceding it, thereby progressively increasing the size of' the openings 32 in the conveyor.

Also provided'on the frame and and engaging opposite ends of the rollers 30 are friction tracks 60.

Provided on the frame to receive fruit of different sizes from the sizing section 5| of the conveyor |2 are chutes 65 and B6.

Disposed for receiving olives in bulk and feeding these directly to the inclined conveyor section 50 is ahopper 61.

Suitable means (not shown) are of course provided to separately receive sized olives from the chutes 65 and 65 as well as those passing over the left end of conveyor |2.' p

Operation When energized, the motor rotates the I8 causing the upper ight of the conveyor |2 to travel in the direction of the arrows in Fig. 1.' Friction between the idle rollers 4| and thel rollers 3|, and the tracks 45 duringthis travel causes rotation of the rollers 3| withthe lower surfaces of these moving in the same ldirection as the 1 upper flight of the conveyor and at a greater It is rst desired to point out the features of the conveyor section 50 which render it capable of the precision feeding of olives intransversely disposed rows. This is effected by locating the guide tracks 45 for this conveyor section so that the axes of the rollers 3| Awill be disposed closer to these guide tracks than the axes of the rollers 30. The preferable arrangement, as disclosed in the drawings, is to have the rollers mounted on the conveyor chains so that their axes intersect the pitch line of the chains whereas the axes of the'rollers 3| are disposed below said pitch line. y

This results in the forming of a valley 10 between each roller 3| and the roller 30 immediately thereabove in which fnone of the olives Ol can rest by gravity, and a valley 1| between said roller 3| and the roller 30 beneath and to the rear thereof in which valley olives delivered thereto are compelled by'gravity to remain provided they are not forcibly expelled therefrom.

The valleys 10, as well as'V the valleys 1| f "are overlying shaft an olive 14 being thus ejected from one of the valleys 1| and illustrates how an olive thus ejectedv is always spilled backwardly over the 'roller 30 of such a valley so that the only olives remaining in this valley comprise just a suicient quantity to form a contiguous row of olives extending from one end of this valley to the other.

The vresult of the action described is to assure that each valley 1| contains just that amount of olives, with no excess, which is necessary to fill that valley. Thus when these olives are carried into the sizer conveyor section 5| and the tracks progressively lower the rollers 3| and enlarge the width of the valleys 1|, there is never more than a single layer of fruit in any of these valleys to interfere with the proper sizing of the fruit. On the other hand each of these valleys is always completely filled with fruit so that the sizer I0 handles the maximum quantity of fruit for which it is designed.

It is a particularly valuable feature of my in vention that the fruit is thus delivered, in the precise quantity necessary for efficient sizing in the section 5|, to the valleys 1| in which the sizing function subsequently is performed. Where ovaloid objects such as olives or lemons are being sized, the conveyor section not only fa- ;cilitates the delivery of the precise amount of fruit to Yeach valley which it can efficiently handle but also aligns the fruit in each said valley so that the longitudinal axis of each piece of fruit is parallel with the valley. This assures g that the sizing function, when performed by the rollers forming this valley, will be in accordance with the smallest diameter of each piece of fruit sized. It is desired to point out further that the precise feeding of fruit accomplished by the conveyor section 50 may be employed in other connections than with delivering fruit to a sizer such as the sizing section 5|. For instance,v it

-vmight be employed to deliver fruit in precisel 515e quantities to a pitting machine or to a can filler.

It is also desired to point out that while the rollers 3| are preferably rotated positively while in the conveyor section 50 as indicated in Fig. 2,

` it might be desirable in some circumstances that these rollers be stationary in this conveyor section or merely be idly rotatable.

In order for the conveyor or feed section 50 to perform its function of discarding fruit in excess n ofthe amount necessary to just i'lll each of the valleys 1'| this section must be inclined upwardly towards the sizing section 5|. The angle of this inclination must be sufficient to cause discarded fruit tol gravitate downwardly in the opposite m direction to that in which the conveyor travels.

*Where the term relatively steeply inclined is used in the claims this is to be understood as lled with olives O as -theconveyor travels up- 7""tion 50.

thereof ltravel in the same direction assaidA conveyor .at a faster'rate .than said conveyor travels in,y said direction; the rollers of said first` series being. spaced to allow the rollers of .ksaid'fsecond series to swing upwardly therebetween Jto form fruit-supporting valleys; and meansjfor. rotating the rollers of said second series inthe samedirectiony as the rollers of` said i'lrst series and lper-Y mitting thefrollers of Vsaid second series to swing downwardly to form sizing openings inthe valleys between the rollers of said first series Yand the rollers of saidsecond series, a portion of said conveyor'for receiving fruit thereon before said sizing commences being relatively steeply inclined upwardly, the rotation of said rollers as aforesaid in. said fruit receiving, portion causing excess fruit fedthereto toY be discarded rearwardly so thatno excess fruit is present in the valleys when'the sizing of fruit therein takes place as aforesaid.

2. In a sizer the combination of: `an endless conveyor mounting two series of rollers, the rollers of the first series being pivotally mounted on said conveyor in spaced relation to admit the rollers of the second series therebetween to form fruit-supporting valleys; means for rotating the rollers of both series aforesaid so that the lower surfaces travel in the same direction as and at a higher rate than said conveyor travels; and -means for shifting each of the rollers of said second series downwardly t space it from one of the adjacent rollers of said first series a sui-H- ciently greater distance than it is spaced from the other of said adjacent rollers to provide sizing openings, a portion of said conveyor for receiving fruit thereon before said sizing openings are formed, being relatively steeply inclined upwardly, the rotation of said rollers as aforesaid in said fruit receiving portion causing excess fruit fed thereto to be discarded rearwardly so that no excess fruit is present in the valleys when the sizing of fruit takes place as aforesaid.

3. In combination: an endless travelling conveyor, a portion of which is inclined relatively steeply upwardly from horizontal and which mounts two series of rollers, the first series being rotatively mounted on said conveyor in spaced relation to admit the rollers of said second series therebetween, the plane tangent with the upwardly disposed surfaces of said second series of rollers being below the plane tangent to the upwardly disposed surfaces of said first series of rollers; means for rotating both of said series of rollers so that the downwardly disposed surfaces thereof travel in the same direction as and at a faster rate than said conveyor; and means for feeding fruit onto said inclined portion of said conveyor.

4. In combination: an endless travelling conveyor, a portion of which is inclined relatively steeply upwardlyl from horizontal and which mounts two series of rollers, the rst series being rotatively mounted on said conveyor in spaced relation to admit the rollers of said second series therebetween, the diameter of said second series of rollers being less than the diameter of saidfiirst series of? rollers, andzthe .plan'e tangent withy the upwardlyidispose'drsurfacesiof 4said second vser-ies :of rollers being ibelow fthe Vplane tangent tosthe'upwardlyfdisposedfsurfaces 4of' said first seriesofzirollers; meanslforrotating both of said.' series 'of rollers 'so I'that the downwardly disposedisurfaces*thereofltravel in the samey direction aasaanda'at a faster: rateithan said conveyor; lIan'dimeans: for'feeding: fruit ontoksaid inclined pcrti'onfoffsaid conveyor.

5. In a sizer the combination of: an endless conveyorm'ounting" two endless -seri'es :fof rollers, one fseries of .frllers being pivotallymounted: `on said conveyor and-'travellinguniformly? alongthe path ithereoffan .theother; series 'of said .frolle'rs being swingably mounted respectively. aboutithe axes of sa-id 'firstseriesofrollersmeans forlrotating Vsaid-'first' series :of: rollers l'so thatthe bot' tom surfa'ceathereofftravels in the 'same -direction as said 'conveyor atta -fasterratethansaid conveyor travels in vsaid fdirection,l adjacent: rollers of'saidrstf'series :being Yspaced to lallowithe rollers of said :second I-series yto swing A.upwardly therebetween; .idle "rollers mounted iin rolling contact with said :second series 'of :"rollers; and tracksfonwhich said idle: rollers roll `soas tofrotate said 'second'series'of'rollers inthe same direction as.V the said 'rst series. of rollers,V and `A.to permit-.therollers o'f lsaidrse'cond series .to swing about 'the 'respectivefrollers -of .'saidirst 'series Y'to cause rsizingzopenings toebe formedrv'betweenseach roller offthefsecon'd fseriesfand anf-adjacentxroller of the rst series.

6. In combination: an endless travelling conveyor, a portion of which is inclined relatively steeply upwardly from horizontal and which mounts two series of rollers, the first series being rotatively mounted on said conveyor in spaced relation to admit the rollers of said second series therebetween, the diameter of said second series of rollers being less than the diameter of said first series of rollers, and the plane tangent with the upwardly disposed surfaces of said second series of rollers being below the plane tangent to the upwardly disposed surfaces of said first series of rollers; means for rotating said first series of rollers so that the downwardly disposed surfaces thereof travel in the same direction as and at a faster rate than said conveyor; and means for feeding fruit onto said inclined portion of said conveyor.

7. In combination: an endless travelling conveyor, a portion of which is inclined relatively steeply upward from horizontal and on which is rotatably mounted a series of rollers, said rollers being spaced apart; a series of members disposed between the respective rollers of the aforesaid series and spaced downwardly from a plane tangent to the upwardly disposed surfaces of said rollers; means for rotating said rollers so that the downwardly disposed surfaces thereof travel in the same direction as 'and at a faster rate than said conveyor; and means for feeding fruit onto said inclined portion of said conveyor.

8. In a sizer the combination of an endless conveyor mounting two series of rollers, the rollers of the first series being pivotally mounted on said conveyor in spaced relation to admit the rollers of the second series therebetween; track means disposed above the path of travel of said conveyor and engaging the rollers of said first series to rotate said rollers to cause the lower surfaces thereof to travel in the same direction as and at a higher rate than said conveyor travels ;A tracks disposed, belowI the :path ofv travelof said conveyor: afseries of-'idlerollers disposed in rolling-engagementwith the'rollers of said second series-and: said lower tracks-to rotate said second series of rollers in the same' direction as said first series of rollers rotate; and means for spacing each of therollers of said'second series from one of the adjacent rollers of said rstjseries a greater distance than it islspaced from the other of said adjacent rollers to provide sizing openings; g s

`9. In combination: an endless travelling conveyor, a portion :of which Yis inclined relatively steeply upward from horizontal and which mounts two series of rollers, the first series being rotativelymounted on said conveyor in spaced relation to admit the rollers of said second series therebetween, the plane tangent with the upwardly disposed surfaces of said second series of rollers being below the planeftangent to the upwardly disposed surfaces of said rst series of rollers; track means disposed above the path of travel of said conveyor and engaging said i'lrst series of rollers; track means disposed below the path of travel of said conveyor; a series of idle rollers disposed in rolling engagement with the rollers of said second series and said lower track means, said track means thus causing all of said rollers to rotate so that their downwardly disposed surfaces travel in the same direction as and at a faster rate than said conveyor; and means for feeding fruit onto said inclined portion of said conveyor. Y

10. In a sizer the combination of: an endless conveyor; rollers mounted in pairs on said conveyor for forming an endless series of transverse sizing valleys having sizing openings; means for causing said conveyor to travel over an endless path; means for causing said -rollers to rotate as said conveyor travels so that the lower surface of said rollers move in the same direction as and at a faster rate than said conveyor; means for progressively increasing the width of said sizing openings during the travel of said conveyor through a sizing zone, said path having a feeding zone in which said path has a relatively steep upward inclination toward said sizing zone; and means for delivering an over-supply of fruit to said valleys when the latter are disposed in said feeding zone, the inclination of said conveyor in said feeding zone cooperating with the rotation of said rollers to discard from said valleys all of the fruit fed thereto as aforesaid in excess of just enough to form a single line of fruit filling each of said valleys, and by rotating said fruit to bring the major axes thereof into substantial alignment, the rollers on which each piece of said fruit is so positioned subsequently performing the sizing operation on said piece of fruit, said sizing therefore being substantially uniformly in accordance with the minimum diameter of said fruit.

FRED STEBLER. 

